Greats and goats: Seahawks demolish Vikings

November 17, 2013

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

7of8

Goat: Too many penalties
The Seahawks played a clean game against the Vikings. They didn’t turn the ball over, they were sound in the kicking game, and they executed the game plan on both sides of the ball.
Then you look at the penalties.
The Hawks committed seven penalties for 96 yards, while Minnesota committed only four for 20 yards.
But it’s more than just the number of flags flying around that hurts the Hawks; the yardage is killer, too. On Sunday, Seattle was flagged for two pass-interference calls -- though the penalty against Richard Sherman was ticky-tack at best -- that ended up costing Seattle 51 yards. Tack on a 15-yard personal foul and two more holds, and that number gets ridiculous rather quickly.
The positives coming out of this game certainly outweighed the negatives, but the number of penalties the Hawks piled up in the blowout are a little concerning. With three division games remaining, including a Monday-night tilt against the high-powered New Orleans Saints, Seattle needs to clean up the penalties or else risks beating itself in the playoffs.

— Sam Barbee

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

7of8

Goat: Too many penalties
The Seahawks played a clean game against the Vikings. They didn’t turn the ball over, they were sound in the kicking game, and they executed the game plan on both sides of the ball.
Then you look at the penalties.
The Hawks committed seven penalties for 96 yards, while Minnesota committed only four for 20 yards.
But it’s more than just the number of flags flying around that hurts the Hawks; the yardage is killer, too. On Sunday, Seattle was flagged for two pass-interference calls -- though the penalty against Richard Sherman was ticky-tack at best -- that ended up costing Seattle 51 yards. Tack on a 15-yard personal foul and two more holds, and that number gets ridiculous rather quickly.
The positives coming out of this game certainly outweighed the negatives, but the number of penalties the Hawks piled up in the blowout are a little concerning. With three division games remaining, including a Monday-night tilt against the high-powered New Orleans Saints, Seattle needs to clean up the penalties or else risks beating itself in the playoffs.